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Library Announcements

For public Macs, if you are asked to reset your password ... you must contact The Hub at 773-298-help (4357).

The Latest from the Library ...

New Name for Lexis-Nexis news service

Nexis Uniis thenew interface to Lexis-Nexis.Coverage varies, but includes articles from about 2,000 U.S. and international papers and newswires with an emphasis on legal and business news.

New Printers

We have replaced three of the printers with new models that should be more reliable. (September 4, 2018)

Off-campus Access (new proxy server)

We have just updated our ezproxy validation server -- which validates you when coming into our resources from off-campus. You will be unable to connect to our resources from off campus if you are using an older bookmark that points to our old proxy server. To access our new server start from the library web pages ... or try replacing the beginning of your old URL (before the "=" symbol) with the following ... https://ezp3.sxu.edu/login?url=

User Services Librarian

We are delighted to introduce our new User Services Librarian Caitlin Archer-Helke, who will be the liaison for the Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines. (July, 2019)

Education/History Librarian retires

We wish a happy new era for Librarian James Kusik, who has retired, effective June 29, 2018.

MLK Photographs in the Library

During the month of February, the library will host a photographic exhibit that presents selections from the work of Flip Schulke in documenting the Civil Rights Movement, with particular emphasis on his intimate photographs of the family of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. See our web site Flip Schulke Education Through Photograpy Project for more information on the works of Flip Schulke.

Google Scholar links to our subscriptions

Google Scholar provides searching of keywords and authors across a wide a selection of academic journals. The searching is not as precise and sophisticated as our subject databases, but in some cases it may be worth using as a supplement to our journal indexes. In order to obtain access to our purchased material you must set the service to connect through our resolver. The details of changing these settings are found at http://lib.sxu.edu/googlescholar

Intersession Computers

During the time the library is closed, December 22 - January 1, 2018, whenever the campus is open, students have access to all library online tools, standard software (i.e. Word, PPT, etc.), and a printer from the workstations in L130. You will need your ID card to swipe into the room.

New World Cultures database

HRAF World Cultures database contains ethnographic collections covering all aspects of cultural and social life. Search by cultures, subjects, regions, and even subsistence types – with subject indexing at the paragraph level. Subjects that are used in indexing and searching the ethnographic texts in eHRAF are based on the Outline of Cultural Materials (OCM), a vast thesaurus of subject terms and descriptions. Comprehensive summaries in Browse Cultures include topics such as: Economy, History and Cultural Relations, Family and Kinship, Sociopolitical organization, and Religion. Cultures Covered lists the all the cultures, ethnic groups and indigenous people currently included in eHRAF.

New book catalog interface

Library closed: 7:30am until 5pm on Friday, September 29th

On Inauguration Day for President Joyner, Friday, September 29th, the main library spaces will host the afternoon reception, and will therefore be closed from 7:30am until 5pm.

The L127 classroom downstairs will be open as a general quiet study area during this time. There will be a staff member in the classroom for exceptional service requests.

Zotero software changes

Zotero - the powerful knowledge management tool that allows you to collect, organize, cite, and share your research material - now uses a standalone package with a connector to your browser. You will be asked to upgrade your existing software. The link to your word processor is now embedded automatically.

New Borrow From Other Libraries software and accounts

As of June 29, 2017, we will be using new software to request journal articles (and books from beyond I-Share) from other libraries. The new Borrow From Other Libraries system will require users to log in using your university ID credentials.

Off-campus Access (new proxy server)

If you are unable to connect to our resources from off campus, you may be using an older bookmark that points to our old proxy server that validates your permissions. To access our new server start from the library web pages ... or try replacing the beginning of your old URL (before the "=" symbol) with the following ... https://ezp3.sxu.edu/login?url=

New Books Displayed

New Books are now displayed on the counter beside the Reference Desk.

Nursing Librarian retires

We wish a happy new era for Librarian Dave Kohut, who has retired, effective June 1, 2017.

Student Debate: April 6

On Thursday, April 6, at 5pm, in the Library … Bishop Quarter Room, the Resident Peer Academic Leaders (RPAL) and the Library will host the next in a series of Student Debates. The intention is to discuss a hot topic based upon factual supporting materials. The topic is: How Effective is Peaceful Protesting?

Haddad Room - computer added to wall display

There is now a mini-Mac installed in the Haddad Room, and it is connected to the wall monitor. To use this technology you check out the blue bag with the keyboard and mouse from the Circulation Desk. The keyboard plugs into the back of the mini-Mac box. You will need to use the mouse pad, as the optical mouse will not work on the glass table.

Student Debate: October 12

On Wednesday, October 12, at 5pm, in the Library … Bishop Quarter Room, the Resident Peer Academic Leaders (RPAL) and the Library will host the first of a new series of Student Debates. The intention is to discuss a hot topic based upon factual supporting materials. The topic is: Marijuana Legalization.

New Tools for Business Researchers

Experian SimmonsLOCAL, a database of credit card buying behavior which can be mined in great detail, has replaced the PRIZM categorization of demographic populations..

For example, show us which Zip Codes have populations that:

Purchased a TV set over 50”

Purchased a specific Lexus automobile in the past year, and

Take cruise vacations.

This new content can be found using the Variables tab.

See a short video of searching the Simply Map tool for Census and business data and mapping and ranking by a variable.

Experian SimmonsLOCAL is a powerful targeting and profiling system that provides insights into consumer behavior for all of America's 210 media markets on a local level with 60,000+ data variables, including over 450 categories and 8,000 specific brands. From the products we buy to the brands we prefer to our attitudes and lifestyles, SimmonsLOCAL reports on the unique nuances of every market. Enjoy the ability to analyze data by State, County, City/Place, ZIP code, Census Tracts, Block Groups, or even custom area.

The Simmons Data Package covers hundreds of categories under general topics including but not limited to:

New spaces and relocated collections

The library has added a few new first-come (no reservations) study spaces for quiet group work:

Two small rooms seating 2-3 people are now available -- one on the main floor, and one on the lower level -- at the end of the collections on the window wall.

A table seating four people is now available in the new Juvenile Collection room, located on the lower level in room 119-C.

The Juvenile Collection has been relocated to the lower level in room 119-C.

The Assessment Kits have been relocated to the small room at the end of the collection on the lower level.

Library adds another important digital book

Theology Symposium, John XXIII Institute: Ten of the world's foremost Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox theologians participated in a 4-day symposium sponsored by Saint Xavier College. Each of the theologians delivered an address on a different theological problem confronting Christianity today. The talks were original contributions to the field, with concentrations on the development of doctrine as a prerequisite to the solution of theological differences and units. Some of the topics included combating atheism, women as priests, and the concept of God in relation to man. This volume contains the roster of attendees, biographies of the speakers, and news clippings of the event. The presentations are published as a separate volume: The Word in History; the St. Xavier symposium, edited by T. Patrick Burke. New York, Sheed and Ward [1966]. BT80 .B8 1966 Special Collections (Non-Circulating)

Laptop connections to wall monitors in Group Study Rooms

You can now check out cables to connect your laptop to the wall monitors in the group study rooms. Ask for them at the Circulation desk.

Holiday Hours

The Stump Library will suspend physical service hours (CLOSED) from November 25 through 29, and from December 24, 2015 through January 3rd, 2016. The web site will still be functioning, offering the full complement of online access options.

SXU Institutional Repository

The library is pleased to announce that we now provide a public platform for locally created materials. This institutional repository (IR) can distribute copies of exemplar student works, teaching materials, Faculty Powerpoint presentations, departmental documents and publications, and other items. The first materials loaded are the Exemplar Honors Capstone Project Papers (papers recognized as excellent from the annual Honors submissions). Additional materials to be entered include Mercy & Mission symposium materials. Contact the library if you have materials you are interested in ingesting.

History of SXU book digitized and searchable

Tutorials

We are building a suite of short (2-3 minute) videos demonstrating our basic services, best tools, and knowledge handling strategies. Theses videos should help scholars at a distance, or those looking for immediate assistance. They are located at the top right of our Student Resources page.

Where did the search box go?

The multiple database search tool has been moved, in order to de-emphasize its use as a primary search tool. Experience has shown that users were frequently frustrated by the large and confusing array of results that appeared from searches across so many simultaneous databases.

The intention is to provide point-of-need assistance for any student within the CANVAS environment.

Google Links for Related Material

We now have a new option for users when they try to link to journal articles.

In the past, the options were for full text links or interlibrary loan.

Now there is another option:

Search Google for related information

WHY DID WE ADD THIS?

In this new age of Open Access materials, people often load copies of their articles on their own web pages, on Institutional Repositories (campus platforms that hold local materials), or on other sites. In some cases, people will pay to have their articles “free to the world” … which is called hybrid publishing.

Before this new option, our EBSCO resolver only looked for official “paid or subscribed” materials at the journal title level. We would not have found the free articles from other locations or the hybrid material. Much material was hidden from our users because we did not provide comprehensive article level access to materials we did not purchase.

Now, the Google search will locate many of these alternative versions. Of course, it will also find other materials with similar words in the titles, so it will be a new way to navigate and discover all types of related information. And much of this other material may not be peer-reviewed … so people will need to be even more critical when using these results.

Weeding the Stacks

Weeding initiative (in two phases)

A team of library staff will be using best practices developed by national consortia to identify potential withdrawals. These lists will be shared with faculty before any actions are taken, and faculty will have an opportunity to see the books on carts before final withdrawals are performed.

Intention: To remove obsolete and unnecessary redundant material, making space for the return of more valuable material from the Offsite Shelving facility.

Process:

Phase 1: The Main Stacks

Timeline: November 2014 – June 2015

Each subject librarian will review materials in our main stacks in their subject areas ... considering factors such as currency, historical importance, redundancy, special subject concerns, CARLI consortial holdings, curriculum emphases, and research concentrations. Potential withdrawals from the main stacks will be identified and title lists will be shared with the faculty for review. One last opportunity for faculty review will be provided with reviews of material on carts before final withdrawals are made.

Phase II: The Offsite Shelving Materials

Timeline: after September 2015

Once space has been cleared in the main stacks, we will review the materials now housed in the Offsite Shelving facility ... using similar criteria to determine which items should be (1) returned to the main stacks, (2) left in Offsite Shelving, or (3) withdrawn from the collection. Once again, potential withdrawals from the collection will be identified and title lists will be shared with the faculty for final review before any action is taken.